‘Won’t accept lame excuses’: SC takes EC to task over missing 2023 counting video
The Supreme Court warned the Election Commission of India of an adverse inference if it failed to produce records of the 2023 Sringeri assembly election vote count.
The Supreme Court expressed strong disapproval on Wednesday towards the Election Commission of India's (ECI) explanation for not being able to locate the video recording of the 2023 vote count in Sringeri assembly constituency in Karnataka. The court warned the poll body that it would draw an adverse inference if it failed to provide the available records.
The Supreme Court bench, comprising justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva, expressed frustration with the ECI's claim of lost records, stating that their primary duty is to conduct an election and maintain documentation. They emphasized that if any records exist, they should be presented on the next hearing date. The court's warning comes following a plea by Congress leader TD Rajegowda, who was removed from office after a recount of postal ballots in the constituency.
The bench criticized the ECI for its inability to trace the original counting footage, despite Rajegowda's requests for access to the election observer's report and video recordings from the 2023 count and the subsequent recount held in May 2024. The court directed the ECI to produce the available records by the next hearing, scheduled for February 15, 2027.
The missing footage is crucial as the dispute revolves around the treatment of postal ballots and the legality of the recount that overturned Rajegowda's electoral victory. The Supreme Court had previously ordered the ECI to submit the relevant records related to the recount and halted all actions by the returning officer pending further investigation.
The controversy began when Jeevaraj challenged Rajegowda's victory in an election petition before the Karnataka high court. In April 2026, the high court ordered a recount of postal ballots, including the re-verification of 279 rejected ballots. However, Rajegowda later approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the returning officer had expanded the high court's directive by re-examining postal ballots that had already been accepted as valid.
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